Hello traveler folks,

I have done a trip to Vietnam recently, and ready to plan another one soon. My previous trip was all about the Southern, which made me happy so far (I am writing a trip report about it and will upload on Fodor's soon). For this one, I am heading North for new things to do. I've read a lot of travel guides, so Hanoi, Halong Bay, Ninh Binh, Sapa, Ha Giang,... are all in my list. But I'm looking for some unseen non-touristy destinations, those are not usually appear in guide books.

Just researched and found an area called Lao Cai so far. Any other ideas? Thanks in advance.

I am a bit confused when you say non-touristy. For example would a museum that doesn't make all the major lists qualify? How about a village known for its traditional crafts but still is outside of the main tourist sites you listed?

I can tell you what i did during my 'holiday' in North VN, during the Chinese Spring Fest, 2008. I was coming from North China, where i worked at the Univ, in the Biology Lab. No school for 4 weeks so i went to the tropics..haha. So i thought sunny and warm, even in January. Journeyed from Shenzhen to Nanning on o'nite bus, then small train to near VN border town. Crossed by foot to VN and took local bus to Hanoi.

Starting to feel a bit cold, as China was reeling in massive snow storm which stranded 800,000 people at the Guangzhou train station. I enjoyed Hanoi, good food, beer and sights for only 4 days, Then moved on to Lang Son by bus and found a cheap hotel in center of town. Folks there very busy with the NewYear fest, many locals in fact, Chinese. I like to froze my butt, as was woefully underdressed and a foot taller and 100 lbs heavier than local men. I looked for warm clothes and needed to modify, even hand stitch some items together.

What to do? Well, i was out to collect spiders from the countryside so set out in the mornings, in various directions, to search among the forests and river flats for any spider i could find and carry back to the lab. Of course, i spoke no VN and who speaks English in such a place? Ate where i could and not easy as most restos closed for the holiday. The hotel had some food and we all, the staff and I, sat around a tiny table, on tiny stools, with chopsticks and mountains of sweaters, mittens and hats nibbling on rice and veg.
Only coffee was Nes instant, and use 2 packets every time.

Did spend considerable time in the bed, all covered up and using my drawing skills, made portraits of local scenes to better remember my first time in VN. Too bad though, none of the collected spiders specimens proved 'new'. YMMV!!

Oh sorry for the confusion, Ha Giang is already in my list so I asking for somewhere else...

How do you plan on getting to these "unseen non-touristy destinations"? The truly non touristy destinations are hard to get to independently. We did a trek /drive from Mai Chau to Ninh Binh via the Black River Valley , Pu Long, staying in homestays in tiny villages in the middle of nowhere that would have been virtually impossible to get to without a guide, not just because of the transport issues but also because of the language barriers. Mots people didn't speak Vietnamese let alone English. We stayed in places like Xom Moi, Hang, Nua . Some places I don't think had names. A nice area of the country. Mai Chau and Ninh Binh were non touristy when we first went 20 odd years ago , now they are overrun with visitors both domestic and international. Ha Giang seems to be heading that way. People go to these places for good reason! Another time we did the "Dien Bien Phu" loop from Sapa to Hanoi. Cant recall the names of the places we stayed apart for DBP itself and Son La but that was certainly non touristy.

FYI Lao Cai is both a province and a city and is where the train line from Hanoi ends and where people stop on the way to Sapa (another extremely over touristed place.

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Lao Cai ? Big border-town without any interested. Ir is essentially an economic city on the Chinese border and the beginning of the pass Lao cai-Sapa. FORGET Sapa on week-ends, full of Viêt and Chinese tourists. You want stunning not too touristy ? Ha Giang-DONG VAN-Ma Pi leng Pas-Méo Vac-Ha Giang via the southern road.

If you give me your email address, I send you 26 pages of very detailed travel notes on the entire North (don't forget to type "North only").

Ah well, I guess you are not interested. I wish to emphasize that, at 80 and with diploma from HEC Paris, one of the 5 best Business Schools in the world, I don't work for a travel agency; I live in Hanoi in happy retirement since 2007 and spend my time traveling).

Hello, I am Vietnamese (live in Hanoi). The list of places that you wrote are quite popular. If you want to find a strange place, I recommend you a few places like this:

- Co To island, Quang Ninh province
- Ba Vi National Park, Hanoi
- Ba Be lake, Bac Kan province
- Cat Ba island, Hai Phong
- Yen Tu Pagoda, Quang Ninh province
- Ban Gioc waterfall, Cao Bang province
- Mai Chau, Hoa Binh province
- Mu Cang Chai, Yen Bai province

On your list, Ha Giang is a great place. In particular, there are unique markets of ethnic people. Remember to pay attention to the market schedule so you don't miss it. You can see the market calendar of the whole Ha Giang province here: tour.biz.vn/cho-phien-ha-giang-lich/ .

If you are interested in typical and truly delicious restaurants in Hanoi, I can also introduce them to you. Don't go to restaurants advertised as delicious in magazines, because sometimes they are just advertisements. For example, in Hanoi, there is a famous dish called "Bun cha". In the past, President Obama came to eat, then it was very famous. However, it's not delicious at all.

Wishing you an enjoyable trip to Vietnam next time.

I have not been to Vietnam, but I have long been fascinated about the prospect of visiting Thành Chương's Viet Palace, north of Hanoi. Has anyone been?

Here you are !ANOTHER EXCEPTIONIAL DAY NEAR HANOI : SOC SON



Cross the Red River on the Than Long Bridge, direction the Airport; Just before arriving at the Airport, turn left on Route 2 then right on Route 35. Start with a magnificent site, Mount Thanh Giong, from which you enjoy a breathtaking view of the entire Red River Delta, with the Ba Vi and Tam Dao Massifs in the horizon. On top of the amount stands a superb gigantic bronze statue of Thanh Giong, one of the 4 Immortals of the Vietnamese Pantheon. According to the legend, born by a miracle of poor peasants in 1700 BC, he was fed by the villagers, became immediately a giant, repelled invaders from the North and, after his victory, jumped on his horse which took him up in the sky.

Then go to the big Non Nuoc Pagoda, with its 50-ton gilded bronze Buddha, and to the Doc Son Temples, a small complex of 5 pavilions in a beautiful forest. Then back on Route 35 to visit the spectacular Thanh Chuong Viet Palace. Thanh Chuong is one of the most famous modern Vietnamese painters and has had exhibitions worldwide. From 2001 to 2003, he has developed on 10 000 sq m of hill and forest an extraordinary complex, a true maze of ponds, terraces, gardens, pagodas, towers, traditional houses, a large theater with an amazing wooden beam roof frame, a water puppet theater, a 5-storey tower, with a superb view of the surrounding countryside from the top balcony, where he displays some of his work and the largest and most valuable private collection of ceramics in Vietnam. The visit lasts around 2 hours. Before returning to Hanoi, you can relax at the charming Tea House of the complex.

Wow, thanks for all the info! Just as I hoped. And the Non Nuoc Paagoda looks fantastic. But I can't find the Doc Son Temples on Google Maps.... any further clue you can give me?

Googles Maps does not show everything and is completely wrong about how long it takes to go from here to there. ! You go to Soc Son and ask for the temples (den en vietnamese)

https://vinlove.net/guiding-to-visit...le-in-soc-son/

Ok,now I see it in Google Maps listed as Soc Son. Thanks for the link. Great article!

Larsay- I am interested in your northern non touristy areas. We will have one week in April in Vietnam.

Non-touristy areas WHERE ? All over Vietnam or North only ?

I am thinking just the north and/or the area around Ha Giang. Thanks!